Pet Rocks Are a Neopets Best Friend
by Quick-Demon
Summary: A blue zafara receives a pet rock called Fluffy for her birthday. Despite her disappointment and trouble she runs into, she discovers that pet rocks can really be a neopet's best friend.


Tittle: Pet Rocks Are a Neopet's Best Friend

Author: Quick-demon a.k.a neomaster49

Disclaimers: I don't own neopets. Just this story.

Rating: G

Summery: A blue zafara recieves a pet rock for her birthday. She discovers pet rocks can really be a neopet's best friend.

A/N: Another neopian times story. Week 88

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I woke up in my bed sleepy. The sun shone through my window and I heard birds chirping their songs across the morning air. Suddenly I remembered. I became excited and a big smile spread across my face. Today was my birthday!

I jumped out of bed and ran to the living room. I dodged my way around the lamp stands, tables, bean bags, boxes and other things that were in my way. Our house is pretty complex and cluttered even though its a one story house.

I ran into a living room. My owner and my sister Kelly were on the couch with a medium sized box. My eyes lit up straight away when I saw my present. I walked towards them.

"Happy birthday Sal," my owner and Kelly chirped before they handed me a present.

"I know you wanted a petpet..." my owner started. "So we got you one!"

I squealed as a grabbed the present and tear it open. I was waiting for a petpet practically all my life. Everyone else had Anubi, Angelpi, Doglefoxes, Babaas and other exciting assorted petpets.

I finally opened the box and what I saw.... is what I wasn't expecting. My face fell, my eyes filled with disappointment. I pulled my new companion out.

"Its cool isn't Sally!" cried my little sister. "I chose it for you!"

"Yeah, great," I murmured.

"We'll I'm glad you like it. As long as you promise to take care of it and feed it, groom it and all that," my owner went on.

I looked at my new petpet. It was a Pet Rock. Can you believe it! I boring, dumb old rock! I could grab a stone from the front yard and pretend to be my friend! Also how on Neopia can you feed and groom a Pet Rock! I couldn't believe this. I just wanted to say I wanted an exchange, but I didn't want to upset Kelly or mom.

"What are you going to name it?" asked Kelly excitedly.

"I dunno, why don't you name it?" I offered plainly.

"OK then! Let's see... hmmm..." Kelly thought looking away from me.

My owner went into the kitchen to start breakfast. I hope its a good one, I need a good lift right about now.

"I know!" Kelly cried "Why don't we call it Fluffy!"

"Fluffy?"

"Yeah it would be ironic!" she cried.

"Do you know what ironic even means?" I asked.

"Yeah mum told me this morning!" she said as if I should have known.

"Yeah, whatever," I sighed walking to the kitchen.

"Hey Sal, don't forget to feed it," Kelly warned.

I laughed at her ignorance, "Kel, Pet Rocks can't eat because they don't have mouths!"

"Oh yes they do!" she snapped. "I read it in a magazine once that..."

"What? The imaginary magazine?" I mocked.

"No, from the petpet magazine!" she corrected.

"Stop it you two!" mom cut in before we got really into it. "Breakfast is on the table."

We both ran to the table and sat in our usual chairs. I did it again. I always do. Kelly isn't the most intelligent young yellow Gelert in the world. She is pretty gullible and I usually tease her about what she says sometimes. She gets hyped up pretty easily.

I set my Pet Rock on the table and dug into my food. After I had eaten I went to my room and placed my Pet Rock on top of my study desk. Suddenly a cool breeze gushed through the window blowing some of the papers off my desk. I sighed and hastily picked them up then a thought crossed my mind.

I straightened my papers and put Fluffy on top. So sue me if I was using it as a paper weight. After all it's only a rock!

"I knew there was a use for you after all," I said to it, being pretty pleased about myself.

It just sat there, no emotion, no feeling, no movement. I snorted.

"Yeah right, rocks have mouths, ha!"

Later I started to get ready to go to the Lost Desert. My friend Kay and I were going there for the day. Her treat! I put my straw hat and my sunglasses on. I looked in the mirror. There was a skinny blue Zafara staring back at me. With the straw hat the sunglasses I looked like I was ready for the beach. Still sun is sun.

"Oh Sally! You're cruel!" cried my sister. "How can you use Fluffy as a paper weight?"

I jerked my head towards her. She was at my study desk.

"Kelly! Get out of my room!" I scolded.

Kelly can be quiet as a mouse. Even with my good hearing I didn't hear her coming into my room. She picked up Fluffy then handed it to me.

"You'd better take real good care of it or mom will take Fluffy away and wont get you another one," my sister warned.

I sighed and took Fluffy into my hand.

"Take it with you and show Kay!" she cried happily .

"What! No way! I'm not taking this thing with me!" I exclaimed.

"I'll tell mom!" she threatened.

"Alright, alright! I'll take it, I'll take it!" I growled.

The last thing I needed was nagging from mom. We both headed towards the living room. Mom was doing some dusting and turned to us when she heard us entering the room.

"Going? OK here some Neopoints for you to spend," she told me was she gave me a purse heavy with Neopoints.

"Uh thanks," I smiled. "I better get going."

I went out the door.

"OK honey, be careful and have fun," she called and gave a goodbye wave.

"Bye!" cried my little sister happily.

"Bye!" I called back and started to walk to Kay's house.

Her house isn't that far away. It was just two block walk. We agreed to meet at her place. Kay is a yellow Pteri, she has three brothers so she's the only girl in her family. Me and Kay had been best friends since pre-school. We've been together through thick and thin. She's my only friend.

When I reached her house she was sitting on the stairs of her front veranda. When she saw me she ran towards me.

"Hey Sally!" my friend greeted happily. "I see you're ready to go."

"Yup, I'm ready."

"Oh before I forget, here," she said then handed me a small gift.

"Oh Kay, you didn't have to," I said modestly but hungrily took it and opened it.

It was a necklace. It was silver and had BEST on it and it was in a shape of a broken semicircle.

"It's a best friend charm necklace," she told me excitedly. "I have the other half."

She pulled out the other half. It said FRIENDS. She helped me put my one on then she put her one on. I smiled. This was better than my Pet Rock.

"What did you get for your birthday off your mom?" she asked curiously.

"Oh," I mumbled. "This."

I pulled my hand and showed my new petpet to my friend.

"A rock?" she asked almost astonished.

"Yeah a Pet Rock," I mumbled. "My sister named it Fluffy."

Kay snorted, "Fluffy?!"

"Yeah, silly isn't it?" I chuckled .

"We'd better go," she squeaked suddenly. "Or we'll miss the bus to the Lost Desert."

"Alright," I sighed and followed her to the bus stop.

The bus ride was bumpy and long. On the long dirt road the bus rattled and choked, struggling to keep going. There were owners and other Neopets on the bus. There was a rowdy group of Shoyrus at the back. The Grarrl bus driver would often growl and yell at them to shut up. But of course that was met with laughter and insults.

"So what can your Pet Rock do?" Kay asked trying to make conversation.

"Sit there and do nothing," I told her simply.

"Don't you teach it tricks?" Kay asked.

"Kay, its a rock!" I told her plainly. "You can't teach a rock to do tricks!"

"Yes you can. In the circus, a red Scorchio trained his Pet Rock to do tricks and stuff," Key told me.

"Yeah right, probably they use springs and stuff to make it jump," I said in disbelief.

She sighed and shook her head. She gave up on me. I can be pretty stubborn at times and she really doesn't like it. To be honest, how would anyone believe that a rock can do tricks? It can't move let along to tricks!

After that we didn't talk. I looked out the window, looking at the trees that zipped pass. Soon my eyes were hypnotised by the scenery. The bumpy ride and the grunt of the engine became faint and distant and soon my eyelids fluttered closed. I was off to sleep.

I felt a jolt hit me and made me go airborne off the seat. My eyes shot open. I quickly scold under my breath and looked out the window. It was all desert. Sands and dunes ran for miles. The ride was a little smoother but it had the occasional jolt, like the one that just woke me. Soon we approached the city in the lost desert.

The bus chugged and clanked to a stop. The bus driver opened the door for everyone to get out. Everyone quickly rushed wanting to get out of the bus and into the open air. I suddenly realized that my hand was empty.

"Oh no! Fluffy is missing!" I cried. "Mom would kill me if I lost him!"

"Well your not dead yet," Kay pointed out.

"I'm serious!" I snapped.

"Alright, alright, don't get ya knickers in a knot, I'll help you look for it," she said defensively.

I looked under the seats and Kay went to ask the bus driver. I looked wildly for it. Kay soon joined me on the floor. It was nowhere to be found.

"Are ya finished already?!" barked the Grarrl bus driver.

"No!" I yelled still looking wildly for it.

"Well too bad! I have to pick up passages in Neopia Central. So get off now!"

"NO!" I cried to continued searching. "I have to find him or I'll be in trouble!"

"We'll you should been more responsible then!" he said nastily.

"Sal, I don't think Fluffy is here. Someone probably took him," Kay said stopping the argument.

"No, he must be here, I know it!"

"Ya heard her, get off me bus!" the Grarrl agreed even though that's not what Kay meant.

"I don't care, I need to find-" I started to argue again when Kay grabbed me and dragged me out of the bus.

"Sorry, sir to hold you up" she apologized.

Sorry? She's Sorry?!

The Grarrl grunted and closed the door then drove off into the horizon.

"Fluffy!" I cried.

Kay let me go. I quickly yanked free and turned to face her.

"Why did you do that!" I yelled. "Now I never going to find Fluffy!"

"Hey, we looked everywhere! Anyway when the driver comes back he wont let us on the bus if you angered him more," she yelled defensively.

"Now I'm never going to find Fluffy and it's all your fault!" I yelled.

"MY FAULT!? Hey your the one who lost him. If you weren't snoozing and dropped him this wouldn't have happened!" she yelled back.

I growled and huffed . I had enough of this! I stomped away from her. I was so focused on leaving her behind that I didn't notice anything on the ground. Something hard came under foot and I tripped over and fell flat on my face. I heard footsteps ran towards me.

"Sally, are you hurt!?" cried Kay, no matter how much you get into an argument with her she can't stay angry for long.

I growled and cursed under my breath. I sat up and saw what had tripped me. My eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. It was Fluffy. I grabbed it and hugged it close to me.

"Don't you ever go away from me like that again!" I gasped in relief, not bothering to put anger in my voice.

"Neopia to Sally, rocks can't hear you," smiled Kay. "Or do tricks. Remember?"

I squeaked as I realised that I was hugging a rock! I was really worried about a silly rock! I gave a smile of embarrassment and tucked Fluffy under my straw hat.

"I was simply worried that if I didn't have my Pet Rock, I would get in trouble"

Kay gave me a sideward glance, "Yeah right."

We had a great time that day. We went to Coltzan's shrine, played the Fruit Machine, played Geos, took a tour of Sakhmet Palace and finish the day off with a relaxing cool drink under a large palm tree.

"Wow, that was great," I sighed.

"Yeah beats sitting at home watching soap opera reruns," Kay agreed.

I decided to take Fluffy from my hat. I set it in between me and Kay.

"If I wouldn't know better, I would have thought you liked that rock," Kay commented.

"I don't really like it, it's just a rock," I sniffed.

"So you say," she smiled.

"OK, so I do like it, big deal!" I gave in. "Still it's just a rock and it does nothing!"

Suddenly a figure appeared in front of us. I looked up it was that Grarrl bus driver.

"Are you coming on the bus or what?" he grunted.

"What are you doing here?" asked Kay surprised as I am.

Why on Neopia would the bus driver care if we entered the bus to go home? He's not the nicest neopet around.

"Because," he grunted feeling a little insulted. "I wanted to know if your coming because you need to pay another ticket."

Neopoints, I should have known. More passages more Neopoints.

"Oh, uh yeah," replied Kay.

"Well lets go!" he grunted.

I grabbed Fluffy and we followed him to his rust bucket. The bus wasn't in the best shape, I guess it's been in service well over 50 years.

We paid our ticket and hopped onto the bus. Soon every passenger was here and accounted for. He started the bus and it gave a cough before it started roaring the engines. Soon the bus was making it's way out of the desert. Kay and Me saw the Lost Desert sunset. It shone a brilliant orange splashed it's colours on the sky and clouds. We gazed at it until a forest of trees blocked our view. Soon we had to endure the long bus ride alone.

Kay and me talked for a while but soon died. The Shoyru pack at the back was rowdy as ever. They yelled and shoved each other around. They yelled at the top of their lungs and hurtled insults at the driver. Everyone wished that they would just be quiet. But the wish never came true.

Soon it was dark. We were passing on the outskirts of the haunted woods. I felt uneasy and a little afraid. The haunted woods didn't seem such a pleasant place at night.

Suddenly there was a loud pop and the bus swerved as the Grarrl was trying to gain control of his vehicle. Soon it turned a right around, facing the opposite direction that we were going.

As soon as the skidding and sliding stopped. Everyone's screams and shouts where quietened and soon crickets chirps filled the night air. The Grarrl got out to inspect the damage. Some passengers did the same but others didn't.

I was dragged out, yet again by my best friend who was so eager to find out what happened.

"Darn!" the Grarrl cursed. "We lost a tire!"

"Don't you have a spare?" asked a female human.

"Yeah, I think so. Now all I have to do is remember where I put it..." he murmured to himself.

"Oh great!" I wailed. "We're in front of the haunted woods, with no food, no water and in the dark! Monsters and stuff might come and hunt us down!"

"Oh Sally be serious!" Kay snapped, knowing what I said made their worst fears come true.

"I am serious!" I cried.

"Arr stop ya yellin'!" the Grarrl barked. "I can't hear myself think!"

"I'm going inside-" I said but I soon broke off when I realized Fluffy wasn't with me. Here we go again.

"What's wrong?" Kay asked, noticing my stop in mid sentence.

"I lost Fluffy again" I sighed. "I know I took him on the bus..."

"Oh Sal, not again! Lucky you don't have a Doglefox or a Deaver!"

"Well for one thing Doglefoxes and Deavers make noises!" I replied and went into the bus to look for it. Kay hesitated then went in after me.

After we looked around even in all the small spaces Fluffy wasn't anywhere to be found.

"I can't believe a Pet Rock would disappear like that." I exclaimed as we went outside again.

"It's not him, it's you. You make him disappear by losing him!" Kay cried.

Suddenly a growl echoed behind me. Everyone who was outside of the bus squeaked in terror. Kay stood there wide-eyed in fear. I slowly turned around to see the fuss. I squeaked as fear washed over me.

There was one of the most scariest Neopets alive. Meuka. Everyone screamed and ran inside even the bus driver. I stood there frozen in fear. I wanted to run but my legs wont obey, I wanted to scream but my voice was dry and squeaky.

The slime ball smiled at me.

"Well you look nice and plump to eat" he hissed, his foul breath wafted over me.

I wrinkled my nose. I didn't know mucus smelled so bad! Anyway, what's with me being plump? The last time I looked I was skinny as a twig. Maybe the mucus ruined his vision.

Finally my legs gain control and backed away. He slithered closer, his oozing slime trailed behind him. Suddenly he leapt for me. As a reaction I moved out of the way. I didn't want slime all over my clean fur.

Not hindered by his miss he blocked my path to the bus. I knew he couldn't get everyone as a group so he get the weakest from the pack, and that happened to be me.

He leapt for me again. This time I was too slow and he managed to grabbed my legs. I felt cold, sticky slime oozed onto my skin. I couldn't help but let out a scream. Believe me the feeling of this would make a grown man scream like a little school girl.

I saw Kay and a few other Neopets approach Meuka. Meuka turned to them he let go of me and stood up to face them. I got up to a sitting position. There beside me was Fluffy.

"Fluffy!" I cried and hugged him. I didn't care it he was a tree at the moment, I just needed some comfort.

The Neopets ganged up on Meuka and attacked them with Battledome style moves. Meuka, being in hundreds of battles in the Battledome himself, easily evaded the attacks. He whacked them with his long slimy tail and tackled them to the ground, leaving them in a puddle of green slime.

Soon he worn them down quickly. Even Kay, being a big battler herself was too tired to face this horrible neopet. I put Fluffy on the ground and pushed him aside. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye I saw Fluffy slide forward. I looked at him at a second time and he was still.

Soon Meuka approached me. Fluffy moved again but I saw it this time. He rattled and shifted forward. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I must be dreaming, I must be going crazy. Maybe Meuka's ooze got to my head.

Fluffy rattled into my open palm. Then an idea came to mind.

"Alright Fluffy, ready?" I said not expecting an answer.

"Lets do it!" I cried and stood up.

"Are you going to challenge me as well?" hissed Meuka.

"Yup!, Take this!" I cried and threw my Pet Rock at him.

The rock hit his head with a slosh and was stuck in his mucus skin.

"Ow! Why you little..." Meuka cursed and grabbed Fluffy and threw him away.

"That's it!" I heard Kay exclaim to the other Neopets. "OK everyone, grab some large rocks!"

The group got up and out the slime covered ground and picked up fairly large rocks.

"Ready, aim... FIRE!" Kay yelled.

At once the group threw their ammo at the slime ball. Meuka evaded the attack with his tail.

"Keep going! Throw as many rocks as you can!" Kay encouraged the group.

I searched for Fluffy, I soon found him and cleaned him up a bit.

"Ready for another round?" I asked.

It rattled in my hand. I jumped a bit but soon realized that it was agreeing with me. I smiled, I guess there was much more to Fluffy than I even thought possible.

I threw him at Meuka's head. Like Gormball practice my aim was precise and it hit Meuka right on the side of his head.

"Arh!" Meuka shrieked.

For that second he was distracted he didn't evade the rocks that were thrown at him. Soon rocks rained onto him, pelting and sticking to his green skin.

Meuka shrieked even more. Anger filled his eyes. Still, rocks came and he couldn't defend himself and soon rocks was stuck all over him. Meuka tried to pick them all off but more were thrown and he was getting nowhere. He finally pulled Fluffy out and threw him.

I went to claim Fluffy. Kay and the others kept throwing but it was getting harder to find more rocks. Meuka looked more rocky than slimy.

"Argh! I can't stand this anymore!" he screamed and retreated to the safety of the Haunted Woods. This was hard for him. The rocks limited his movement but he managed to disappear from view.

We all cheered. The passengers on the bus also celebrated, even the Grarrl bus driver had a smile on his face. Owners came out hugging their pets that helped chase Meuka away. Kay and me joined up and gave each other a victory hug and also gave each other slime, but we didn't care.

After out little celebration the Grarrl bus driver finally found the spare tyre and soon we were on our way again. After 30 minutes of bumps and no sleep we arrived at the bus stop. All of the passages unloaded and split off into their separate ways. Mom and Kelly were waiting for me. Kay's mom was waiting too.

We were last off the bus, again. When my family saw me they gave me a funny look. I followed their gaze and smiled

"Long story," I said. I didn't want to go into details at the moment.

I see that you took care of your pet really well. So I guess your ready for a better petpet," my owner commented.

"What?" I exclaimed in surprise.

"We chose to see if you were ready to own a more rowdy petpet," Kelly explained.

"So what kind of petpet you would like?" my owner asked.

"You know what?" I said. "Maybe having a Pet Rock isn't so bad after all."

Fluffy rattled in my hand.


End file.
